Marketing Report London 2012 - International Olympic Committee

156 Chapter Eight / BRAND PROTECTION
“The IOC and its partners in the Olympic Movement take the
threat of ambush marketing very seriously. We want to protect
the integrity of the Olympic rings, the Olympic values and the
future viability of the Olympic Games.”
Gerhard Heiberg, Chairman, IOC Marketing Commission
Ambush Marketing
Any attempt to create an unofficial association with the Olympic Games or the Olympic Movement is
known as ambush marketing.
Unauthorised associations diminish the value of Olympic partnership investments, tarnish the
image of the Olympic Movement and risk the Organising Committee’s ability to fund the Games
successfully.
Efforts to prevent ambush marketing are therefore designed to ensure that no entity creates such an
unauthorised association with the Games or the Olympic Movement. These measures protect the
exclusive marketing rights of official Olympic partners, who are vital to the Olympic Movement and to
the future of sport.
For the London 2012 Olympic Games, LOCOG initiated a brand protection education programme
for businesses and members of the public to inform them of how they could appropriately align
themselves with and support the Games, without infringing on the exclusive commercial rights of the
official marketing partners.
Clean Field of Play
The Olympic Games maintain a strict clean field of play policy, which restricts any advertising or
commercial branding from appearing on the field of play. This policy also extends to the areas
immediately surounding the Olympic venues.
As well as helping to protect and enhance the value of the Olympic brand, this policy ensures that the
emphasis is always on sport, rather than commercialisation. The IOC has been working closely with
LOCOG in the build-up to the Games to ensure this policy is adhered to in London.